


baby fever

by eg1701



Series: 90s reddie for the soul [17]
Category: IT (1990)
Genre: Babies, F/M, Kid Fic, M/M, technically, the do you want kids talk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:53:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27852046
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eg1701/pseuds/eg1701
Summary: Richie and Eddie wait to hear about Ben and Bev's baby, and talk about kids of their own
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Series: 90s reddie for the soul [17]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1800730
Comments: 8
Kudos: 45





	baby fever

**Author's Note:**

> sorry i haven't updated this series in so long, i promise i'm still around lol

“Ten bucks it’s a girl,” Richie said over his morning coffee. Eddie looked up from the newspaper, “The baby. Ten bucks?”

“Deal,” Eddie replied, “Do you know what the names they have picked out are?”

Richie shook his head, “Haystack wouldn’t tell me. Thought he’d crack before Bev did but no dice.”

Eddie glanced up at the clock. It had been several hours now since Ben had called to tell them that he expected the baby to be here sometime that day, and that he would call the moment he could, and neither Richie or Eddie could sleep very much that night. 

A child meant a future. A new generation. Someone that existed outside of their group. Richie hadn’t ever given kids much thought. They were alright, sure. He knew plenty of people with kids, but he’d never wanted one of his own very much. Not until recently anyway.

He liked the idea of being an uncle though. That suited him fine. Uncle Richie to Ben and Bev’s _girl_ \-- that’s what he thought it would be. Bill and Audra were in the girl camp, but the others agreed with Eddie’s belief that it would be a boy. He wasn’t sure what Ben and Bev hoped for. They were too thrilled to be _having_ the baby in the first place, that the betting on the sex fell to the others. 

“Feels strange doesn’t it?” Eddie mused, “A baby.”

“I just can’t believe it’s been nine months since Derry. Sort of feels like yesterday.”

But it also felt like a lifetime ago. Richie was fairly certain that he had become an entirely different person since Derry. Not that that was a bad thing. In fact, it was pretty good. Sure, Richie from a year ago would have laughed in his face had he tried to explain his current life, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Sort of,” Eddie sighed and shook his head, “Rich?”

“Hmm?”

“Did you ever want to have children?”

In reality, he should have expected this conversation. It was logical. When your friends had kids, you started thinking about what it might be like to have kids of your own. Richie couldn’t deny that. Even though he’d never thought much about it before, sometimes, recently, he’d thought about the idea, late at night or early in the morning when Eddie was asleep and he was alone.

“How would I have a kid Eds?” Richie said, instead of answering. It would buy him about two seconds before Eddie told him that wasn’t what he meant, or gave him the look where he eyed him over his glasses.

He went with the latter. 

“I mean,” Richie shook his head, “It’s not really feasible is it.”

“That’s not what I asked you,” Eddie said, “I asked if you ever wanted to have children.”

“Sure,” Richie poked at his plate, suddenly not very hungry, “I guess I have. Recently. With all the baby talk.”

“I don’t think I’d be a very good father,” Eddie said, scrunching up his face as he did, “Not really.”

It was the last thing Richie expected to hear. Of all of them, Richie would have put Eddie towards the top of the list of who would make the best parents. Sure, he’d stick himself on the bottom, but Eddie was definitely up there. 

“Why?

“Might turn into my mother,” Eddie said, and Richie knew it was supposed to be a joke, to be melodramatic or something, but there was real concern there, lingering in the back of his tone, “I couldn't do that to a child.”

“You wouldn’t do that,” Richie shook his head, “You wouldn’t do that because of how she was. I know you Eds.”

Eddie shrugged, “I think it must be terrifying. I mean, look at what happened to us when we were kids. But even all the regular things like bike accidents, and kidnappings, and car crashes, and diseases, and broken bones. Must be terrifying to have to care for a child with everything that can go wrong.”

“I suppose it probably is. We turned out alright though didn’t we?

“Well _some_ of us turned out alright. The jury’s still out on you.”

“Everybody’s a comedian now,” Richie chuckled, “I think we’d be alright as parents. What would you name a baby?”

“Oh I don’t know,” Eddie picked up a slice of his toast but didn’t eat it, just picked some of the crust off while he looked down at his plate, “Probably after your mother, if it was a girl. Maggie’s a nice name for a baby, and we couldn’t very well name her after mine.”

“And your dad if it was a boy?”

“Frank?”

“Well we can’t name him Wentworth. I couldn’t do that to a child Eds. It’s 1991. It’s almost the twenty-first century.”

Eddie smiled, “Yeah. I think those are good names. Now here’s the most important question. Tozier-Kaspbrak or Kaspbrak-Tozier.”

“You have top billing Eds,” Richie said, “Sounds better anyway.”

The phone rang. They looked at each other for a few rings, as if trying to figure out what the sound was before Eddie jumped up to answer it. Richie came over and tried to hear.

“Yeah?” Eddie smiled, “And Bevvie’s alright? She’s good?”

“What is it?” Richie whispered. Eddie waved him away.

“We’re so happy for you Ben. Tell Bev we love her alright? Get back to it. We’re here if you need anything.”

“What is it?” Richie asked again. 

Eddie smiled, hung up the phone, and held out a hand, “I believe, Mr. Tozier, that I am owed ten dollars.”

“Damn it,” Richie muttered, digging around his jacket for his wallet, “This is Ben’s fault, I just know it. Everybody’s healthy?”

“They’re all wonderful,” Eddie smiled, “How’s it feel to be an uncle?”

Richie thought it over for a moment, “Kind of the same. I guess it’s a delayed reaction.”

“Things are looking up,” Eddie said firmly, “It’s going to be good now. There’s a baby, and Ben and Bev are happy. I hope we get to see them soon.”

“We’re going if I have to drive there myself. I am going to spoil that kid. We have to be the favorite uncles. You understand how essential this is right? That you and I are the favorite uncles? We live in California and show up on holidays ten minutes late and send incredibly expensive gifts for his birthday?”

Eddie laughed, “You’d be a good father Rich.”

“So would you,” He said firmly, “And you’re going to be a good _uncle._ ”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you as always!


End file.
